


I'm here

by riverwriteskinda



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, I Don't Even Know, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, M/M, Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-18
Updated: 2020-06-18
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:07:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,114
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24788983
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/riverwriteskinda/pseuds/riverwriteskinda
Summary: Arthur had never been more oblivious in his life than when it comes to his feelings, Merlin pushes him to understand.But they're interrupted when the young warlock receives news from his mother and he must quickly get to Ealdor.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 34





	I'm here

"Why do I even keep you?" Arthur suddenly asked, slightly louder than he intended to, as his feet were shuffling on the cold pavement. He was sprawled across the bed, topless, waiting for his _idiot_ of a servant to bring him his nightly robes. His eyelids were so heavy, his body so exhausted from the vigorous training the previous day. All he wanted to do was sleep, but Merlin was taking his sweet time to come and prepare him for bed. He was almost considering falling asleep like that.

The question was originally intended more for his manservant than himself, but he knew no answer would come, so he kept talking. "You're lazy, forgetful, clumsy, arrogant... and you seem to not care, not even in the _slightest_ , that I'm the future king of Camelot and I could throw you in the stocks with a mere movement of my hands..." 

Arthur paused. He was still unable to see his manservant's expression, only viewing his curvy backside, which in itself, wasn't a bad view _at all,_ Arthur would dare to say it was one of the best he's seen. 

But truly, he didn't need to see his face to _know_ the boy was rolling his eyes at him. Hard. "Merlin, your eyes will pop out of their socket one day if you keep doing that." 

Merlin turned around, a confused look resting on his face as he met his friend's gaze. _Arthur knew him so damn well._

Seeing the corners of Merlin's mouth twist into a pleased smirk, the prince couldn't help but smile himself. "But I'm serious! You're always in that bloody _tavern_ , you appear and disappear whenever you please, you _never_ take your job seriously..."

 _And my father would most definitely hang the both of us, was he to find out about your magic._ Was what Arthur wanted to add, but Merlin was still oblivious to his knowledge of his powers and he intended to keep it that way. At least until Merlin was _ready_ to tell him, until he trusted him enough to do so.

"...I should have sacked you months ago. Years ago." He complained, while his servant dragged him unceremoniously out of bed, holding him by both of his wrists. Arthur gave in, even though he was struggling to even keep his eyes open at this point.

"Maybe you should have, yes, but we _both_ know you won't." Merlin replied, his eyes fixed on Arthur's, as he started unbuckling the prince's belt, brushing the tips of his fingers up against as much tanned skin as he could, knowing the effect it will have on him. "You wouldn't last more than a day without me."

Arthur followed his servant's hands intently, swallowing the lump forming in his throat and trying in vain to keep his breathing under control. He was now more awake than ever, clenching his fists in an attempt to keep them from running all over Merlin's chest, all the way to his neck _always_ unfairly covered by neckerchiefs... and along his jawline...

 _No. Gosh, not this again. He couldn't. No_.

He would never dare ask so much of Merlin, _no_. He cared too much about him for Arthur to do this. But _those fingers._.. they were driving him _insane_. 

_Take that damned belt off already, Merlin. Please._

It was so obvious Merlin had never been trained to be a servant, because any professional would know those kind of touches were recklessly inappropriate. And yet, Arthur never bothered to tell him off. Not even when Merlin bent over to get him out of his trousers, brushing his long, slick fingers over the prince's inner _thighs_. He didn't want him to stop.

"Oh, is that so? I fear you may be thinking too high of yourself. You're not indispensable." He responded quickly, trying to cover up his heavy breathing. Sweet Jesus, he was driving him insane with barely a few _accidental_ touches.

 _Accidental touches_. 

Arthur felt a shiver crawl up his spine, allowing himself to imagine, just for a second, how that would be, had Merlin purposefully touched him, _actually_ wanting to touch him, to _satisfy_ him, _God_. 

As the lingering hands stopped and silence took over the room, Arthur snapped out of his fantasies and turned to analyze the boy's face. A sad frown appeared over his blue eyes, his _beautiful, soft_ blue eyes. Arthur sighed, rubbing his face for a moment before opening his mouth to correct his words. Maybe he exaggerated this time. 

In all fairness, Merlin was irreplaceable to him. His mere presence, his reassurance, his banter, his soft eyes, his _smile_ , his– his _hands_ touching his thighs... and Arthur didn't even want to start about his beautiful, delicate, crimson _lips_... 

Thankfully, he heard a tiny chuckle escape Merlin's chest, followed by a muffled mumble which kept him from getting carried away, but the thought of the warlock's lips over his was still acutely etched into his mind...

"I didn't quite catch that?" He said, scrutinizing his amused expression curiously.

Merlin's hands were still resting on his hips, even though he had finished dressing him up a while ago. Arthur felt himself grow dangerously hotter, _harder_ by the second.

_Lower the hands, Merlin, I beg of you._

"Maybe if you were paying more attention to my _words_ , you would have." The servant replied, raising one hand to arrange a wild lock of golden hair from the prince's forehead. 

Arthur didn't register the remark hidden in Merlin's words, concentrating on the fingers approaching his forehead. He caught his wrist tightly in his palm, preventing his servant from following through with the movement. He couldn't endure more, he was one touch away from breaking. 

"Well, fortunately for me, I don't have your abnormally large ears sticking out of my head so I couldn't catch whatever you always seem to mutter under your breath." 

"At least I can fit my ego through the door, whereas you..."

"Your ears would get stuck on the other side." 

"As will your hips if you keep eating like that."

"Are you calling me fat?" Arthur was beginning to feel painfully aware of his half naked body, mostly because of the way Merlin's gaze hovered over his chest, down to his abdomen...

"You know I am." His dark, hungry eyes looked up into Arthur's, before returning to his task of dressing the prince up.

"I'm not fat!" He warned him, pointing a finger in his face, just slightly above his full lips...

"Maybe not. But you're still a coward." Merlin was pulling Arthur's tunic over the man's big head, when he froze, hearing his own words.

 _Him? A coward?_ "What on earth did you just say?"

Merlin rubbed his face, wincing at Arthur's defensive tone. _Well done, Merlin, well done._  
"No– nothing. I overstepped. I'm sorry, Sire. I'll just go–"

"No. I need you to tell me why you think I'm a coward." 

"You're not, I have no idea why I said that. I apologize."

"Spit it out, Merlin."

Merlin glared at him, fighting Arthur's tight grasp of his upper arm. "Let me go."

"Not before you tell me why you said that."

"Why do you care about what I think?" 

"This has nothing to do with you!"

"This has everything to do with me!" Merlin sighed, defeated, what even was the point anymore? "I'm talking about this. About whatever this is between us, but you're too scared to admit it."

"I think it's time to return to your chambers, Merlin, as I'm certain you have no idea what you're saying. You're imagining things." 

"You just proved to me that I was right." The young warlock shook his head, heading towards the door. He stopped before exiting the room to look at Arthur once more. "Oh, and next time, _before_ you tell me I have no idea what I'm talking about, look in a damned _mirror_!"

"Wait..." Arthur didn't need a mirror to know he screwed up. He shut his eyes, focusing on breathing, trying to calm the loud throbbing of his heart. The prince shifted uncomfortably as Merlin crossed his arms and stared at him, expecting him to continue. 

He didn't even want to know how much of a mess he looked like. His forehead was drenched in sweat, his knuckles white from clenching his fist so hard and the obvious bulge in his pants... Maybe if he were to blame the exhaustion or– or the drinks he's had, maybe then Merlin wouldn't be so disgusted with him. "I– I was–... This isn't–... I–" were the only words he could mutter. There was no explanation, no reason...

Of all possible reactions Arthur expected to see from his manservant at the sight of his erection: disgust, embarrassment, shock... he certainly didn't expect him to smirk. _Smirk_. He fucking _smirked_. Merlin looked like he was enjoying this situation, his embarrassment. 

"You still don't get it, do you?" Merlin whispered, slowly covering the space between them and placing a hand on Arthur's cheek tenderly. _How could he still be so oblivious?_

The prince felt his breath hitching as Merlin's lips were now just a few inches away from him. So close– so... 

"You don't have to do this." Arthur suddenly said, a wave of fear entering his mind. He stepped back, shaking his head. "I can't– and I won't ask that of you." 

"I'm doing this because I want to, you _dollophead_. I want _you_." He wrapped one arm around his master's waist, bringing him closer until there was no space left inbetween them. Arthur let out a desperate moan, feeling his erection brush off Merlin's leg.

He was breathless, craving more of that sweet contact, but he knew this wasn't right. He couldn't take advantage of him, he wouldn't. "Merlin, don't." He was still convinced his servant would never be interested in him in that way, he would never want him...

"The only time you shouldn't be thinking, you do." Merlin pressed his lips harshly over his, against Arthur's protests, hoping this kiss would make him understand how much he desired him, how badly he craved his touch. "Besides, you know I never do as I'm told." 

Their kisses grew deeper, more desperate after Arthur overcame his initial reluctance and allowed himself to get lost into his servant's touch. 

Merlin's hands were exploring Arthur's chest and his back without any shadow of restraint this time. The other man was touching and kissing and sucking as much as he could, tracing the line of Merlin's spine, biting at his neck... 

They were both so caught up in each other, they barely heard the insistent knocks at the door.

"Sire, I'm sorry to disturb you at such a late hour," Gaius' voice came though from the hall, "I would never, unless it was of great importance."

They stopped for a moment, staring into each other's eyes hungrily. Merlin shook his head, bringing a finger to Arthur's lips, almost begging him to keep quiet. Seeing that desperate look on the boy's face send fire to his guts and all he wanted was to jump back into their kiss, but his sense of duty forbade him from following his heart. 

As much as it pained him to break apart from his lover's touch, he knew he had to. It was one of the hardest decisions he's ever made.

"No worries, Gaius, come in." Arthur regained his composure and broke off the embrace, putting some safe distance between him and Merlin.

It was pointless, anyways. No matter how much they tried to act normal, he had no doubt anyone who saw them in this exact moment, would automatically know. Their flushed, swollen lips and cheeks and necks, their disheveled hair and clothes... it was too obvious. And Gaius' face, as soon as he laid eyes on them, confirmed him just that.

"Sire– _oh._ I'm apologize for– disturbing you... but I require Merlin's immediate presence." He stuttered, staring right at the floor, suddenly aware he interrupted a certain _intimate moment._

"Is everything alright, Gaius?" His sight was slightly blurry and he was feeling quite dizzy from the way Merlin's hands travelled his body, but he recognized the concerned, tired look on the physician's face.

"I'm afraid not, Sire." He announced with a weak smile. 

"Can't it wait until the morning?" Merlin stubbornly protested, titling his head in Arthur's direction shamelessly. He wasn't thinking straight, he just wanted Arthur's lips over his again.

The prince bit his lip hard to keep himself from bursting into laughter seeing Gaius shift so uncomfortably in his skin, like he couldn't believe he was having this conversation.

"It's about your mother."

Merlin didn't need to hear more.


End file.
